KNUEPFER WINS BIG IN LEGISLATURE

John Schmeltzer and John SchragCHICAGO TRIBUNE

Du Page County Board Chairman Jack Knuepfer flexed his political muscle with striking success during this session of the Illinois General Assembly.

The legislature approved nearly every piece of legislation Knuepfer asked for when he turned over the Du Page County agenda to Senate Minority Leader James ''Pate'' Philip (R., Bensenville) and House Minority Leader Lee Daniels (R., Elmhurst).

By the session`s end, Knuepfer got two sales tax increases for the county and renewed power over the Du Page County Fair and Fox Valley Airport. He also pushed through a bill to give him more power as the county`s chief executive.

In a final burst of voting as it closed most of its business late Friday, the House added its approval to a one-quarter cent sales tax increase for the county to help finance construction of a multimillion-dollar Lake Michigan water pipeline, sending the bill to the governor`s desk. That measure was perhaps the most important for the water-starved western suburbs to maintain their current growth levels.

But at the last minute the House refused to consider a funding measure for a new Du Page County courthouse. The proposal had unexpectedly resurfaced in the Senate. The measure, if considered again in October, would give counties authority to levy a property tax of 10 cents per $100 of assessed valuation instead of the current 5 cents.

And the lawmakers turned over to Knuepfer, a former state senator, virtual control of the Du Page County Fairgrounds and the airport through bills giving him power to appoint their governing boards.

''Don`t ever underestimate Jack Knuepfer,'' one Du Page political strategist said. ''People criticize Jack because he`s friendly with Pate, but Jack`s clearly in control of county government.''

Among the many Du Page bills sent to Gov. James Thompson was one allowing counties, with voter approval, to adopt the county executive form of government without having to adopt home rule.

Central to Knuepfer`s winning ways in the legislature are Philip and Daniels. As long as they remain in their leadership positions in the Senate and House, respectively, he probably will meet with continued success in Springfield.

Probably Knuepfer`s biggest coup of the session was winning legislative approval of a one-quarter cent countywide sales tax to be used to finance the criminal justice systems of counties outside Cook County.